SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 2021 – Page 68

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 15:38

15:38a–c

Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work: The Greek is literally “Paul did not consider the one who deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work worthy, not to take along this one.” John Mark left Paul and Barnabas in the middle of the first missionary journey. So Paul did not believe he was worthy to go on this missionary journey. The last part (“not to take along this one”) emphasizes that Paul really did not want to take John with them. Other ways to translate this are:

Paul did not think that he was worthy to take part in this ministry, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the ministry. He really did not want to take him along.
-or-
John/he had deserted them at Pamphylia ⌊on the earlier journey⌋ and had ended working with them in that ministry in the middle of it, so Paul did not consider him worthy to work with them in this ministry and insisted on not taking him along.

15:38b

deserted: This word refers to leaving a duty. John Mark committed himself to go with Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey to help them. But in Pamphylia he changed his mind, left the work, and went home.

Pamphylia: This name refers to a region within a Roman province.

15:38c

had not accompanied them in the work: In the middle of the first missionary journey John Mark left Paul and Barnabas and went back to Jerusalem. Other ways to translate this are:

had not continued with them in the work (New International Version)
-or-
but had turned back and left them (Good News Translation)

in the work: Here the word work refers to the ministry of going from town to town and proclaiming the message about Jesus. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate only physical labor. If that is true in your language, explain the kind of work in your translation. For example:

their mission (Good News Translation)
-or-
in the ministry
-or-
in their ⌊missionary⌋ work

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 16:29

Paragraph 16:29–30

16:29a

Calling for lights, the jailer: This phrase in Greek is literally “having asked for lights.” The jailer probably asked his servants or his prison guards to go and bring lamps. Other ways to translate this clause are:

The jailer asked for ⌊someone to bring⌋ lamps
-or-

⌊He heard this and⌋ asked that ⌊someone go and bring⌋ ⌊lighted⌋ lamps

lights: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lights probably refers to clay lamps. At that time a lamp was shaped for a wick on one side and burned oil. The exact kind of lamp is not important here. So you should use a general word for a lamp or light producing device. Some of the styles of lamps used at this time are shown below.

Such lamps had a single flame so were not very bright. The jailer asked for more than one lamp so that his prison guards could check the whole prison, or he wanted the place where he was to be well lit.

16:29b

fell: Here the word fell refers to quickly kneeling and putting the face to the ground with arms outstretched toward someone. The jailer did this deliberately in order to show humility and respect. In some languages a literal translation will not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate the meaning of this phrase. For example:

prostrated himself
-or-
threw himself…at the feet of (New Jerusalem Bible)

• Translate the figure of speech literally and explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Here the word “fell” refers to quickly kneeling and putting the face to the ground with arms outstretched toward someone.

• If your language has a different action that shows humility and respect to someone, you may want to use that word or phrase. You may then want a footnote to explain the literal word. An example footnote is:

Literally “fell.” Here the word refers to quickly kneeling and putting the face to the ground with arms outstretched toward someone.

trembling: This word indicates that the jailer was afraid or overwhelmed by all that had just happened. If he was afraid, he was probably afraid that some god had caused all this. He probably assumed that Paul and Silas were the god’s representatives.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 17:21

17:21a–b

all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas: These words imply that Luke thought that the people of Athens were foolish to spend all their time doing this. In some languages a literal translation does not indicate or imply that they are foolish. If that is true in your language, indicate that in your translation. For example:

all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there lived ⌊foolishly⌋ by only talking about and listening to the latest ideas
-or-
all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there are addicted to chatting and listening about anything new

17:21a

all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there: This phrase refers generally to the people of Athens and non-Greek people who moved to Athens and lived there. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the Athenians and the foreigners living there (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
people of Athens and resident non-Greeks
-or-
All the people of Athens and those from other countries who lived there (New Century Version)

Athenians: This word refers to people who were born in Athens and still lived there. Other ways to translate this word are:

native Athenians
-or-
people born in Athens

spent their time: This phrase refers to using the time people have to do something. For example:

used their time (New Century Version)

17:21b

doing nothing more than: This phrase refers to always doing something. The people living in Athens used all of the time they could to talk about and listen to new ideas. Other ways to translate this clause are:

all the time
-or-
always (New Century Version)

new ideas: This phrase in Greek is literally “something newer.” It refers to news. For the people of Athens, it referred to new ideas, philosophies, ways to live, and things like that. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

something new (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
anything new (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
new teaching

General Comment on 17:21a–b

This verse is extra information about the people who lived in Athens. Therefore, the Berean Standard Bible begins this verse with “Now,” and the New International Version puts this verse in parentheses. The story about Paul in Athens continues in 17:22a. Other ways to indicate that 17:21a–b is extra information are:

People of Athens, Greeks and non-Greeks, habitually spent all their time talking about and listening to anything new.
-or-

⌊They said this because⌋ all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time continually talking about the latest ideas and listening to them.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 18:19

18:19a–b

Paul parted ways with Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews: The Greek words are literally “and he left them there and/but he himself, going into the synagogue, reasoned with the Jews.” This probably indicates that Paul left Priscilla and Aquila at the harbor while he went to the synagogue. It is not clear why they did not go in with him. Other ways to translate these words are:

He left them(dual) there ⌊at the harbor⌋ but he went alone to the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

18:19a

When they reached Ephesus:
Ephesus was a very large and prosperous city.

Paul parted ways with Priscilla and Aquila: This clause tells the reader more about Ephesus. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that there are other cities named Ephesus and Paul parted ways with Priscilla and Aquila only in this one. If that is true in your language, translate this information in a way that tells more about Ephesus. One way to do that is to start a new sentence here. For example:

Paul left Priscilla and Aquila there.

Also see the note above on 18:19a–b.

18:19b

He himself went into the synagogue there: The pronoun is emphasized in the Greek. It probably indicates that he went into the synagogue alone. The Berean Standard Bible emphasizes the pronoun using himself.

reasoned with the Jews: The word reasoned indicates that Paul discussed the meaning of the Scriptures with the Jews. Other ways to translate this clause are:

held discussions with the Jews (Good News Translation)
-or-
debated with the Jews

See how you translated the word reasoned in 18:4.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 19:23

Paragraph 19:23–27

19:23

This verse introduces the story in 19:24–41.

About that time: This refers to the time Paul stayed in Ephesus after he sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

During that time (God’s Word)
-or-
At that time (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
That was when

there arose a great disturbance: This clause in Greek is literally “no little disturbance happened.” The phrase “no little” is a Greek idiom that means great here. Other ways to translate this clause are:

no little trouble occurred
-or-
a great commotion happened
-or-
there was huge turmoil

disturbance: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disturbance refers to being upset or refers to trouble. This disturbance occurred because Demetrius objected to Paul preaching about Jesus and caused people to riot. See the above examples.

the Way: This name refers to the beliefs of Christians and living as a Christian. See how you translated this phrase at 9:2 or 19:9.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 20:14

20:14

he met us at Assos: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as at can mean “into,” “in,” “near,” or “at.” Assos was on a hill over 200 meters (650 ft) above the sea. Its harbor was connected to the town by a road. The Greek word probably indicates that Paul met Luke and the others at the harbor rather than in the city.

Mitylene: Mitylene is a city on the island of Lesbos. It was the capital city of the island. It is south of Assos.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 21:8

21:8a

Leaving the next day, we went on to Caesarea: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as went on to is literally “came to.” It does not indicate whether they traveled by land or by water. They probably traveled by water but it is possible they traveled by land. Therefore, use a general word. For example:

The next day we left and came to Caesarea. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
On the following day we left and arrived in Caesarea. (Good News Translation)

It is about sixty-four kilometers (forty miles) from Ptolemais to Caesarea. This would be about six hours by ship with good winds or thirteen hours by foot.

Caesarea: This name refers to a city on the Mediterranean coast of the province of Judea. See how you spelled this name in 8:40 or 18:22.

21:8b

stayed at the home of Philip: The Greek words are literally “entering into the house of Philip,…we stayed with him.” For example:

we entered the house of Philip…and stayed with him (Revised Standard Version)

“Entering” implies that Philip invited them in. The clause also implies that Philip invited them to stay. For example:

Philip ⌊invited⌋ us into his house…and to stay with him. And we did.

Philip: This was the same man named Philip in 6:5 and 8:5–40. See how you spelled his name there.

21:8c

evangelist: Here this word means “someone who tells/proclaims the good news about Jesus.” An evangelist tells it mainly to people who do not believe in Jesus yet. He tells it in hope that some will believe. Philip told the good news about Jesus to people in Samaria and to the Ethiopian official (chapter 8). Other ways to translate this word are:

His work was telling the gospel ⌊to people who do not believe⌋ ⌊yet⌋
-or-
a person who carried the Good News
-or-
a man whose work was proclaiming the good news about Jesus

one of the Seven: Here the phrase the Seven refers to seven men that believers chose to help widows (6:1–6). In some languages a literal translation will not be natural or make the meaning clear. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain it in your translation. For example:

one of the seven men who had been chosen as helpers in Jerusalem (Good News Translation)
-or-
one of the seven men who helped the apostles (God’s Word)
-or-
one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food (New Living Translation (2004))

You may also want to indicate that this phrase refers to 6:1–6 in a footnote. An example footnote is:

See 6:1–6.

• Translate literally and explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The phrase “the Seven” refers to seven men that the apostles chose to help widows (6:1–6).

the Seven: Here the phrase the Seven implies seven “men.” In some languages a word such as “men” must be explicit. For example:

the Seven Men/Helpers

General Comment on 21:8b–c

The order of the Greek words here is:

and entering into the house of Philip, the evangelist, one of the Seven, we stayed/lodged with him

Some languages can follow this order. Other languages must reorder this information. For example:

and entered into the house of the evangelist Philip. He was one of the Seven. We stayed/lodged with him.
-or-
and entering into the house of Philip, we stayed/lodged with him. He was one of the Seven ⌊Helpers⌋, and an evangelist.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 22:1

22:1

Brothers and fathers: This phrase in Greek is literally “Men, brothers and fathers.” The phrase Brothers and fathers describes the word “men.” The word Brothers is Paul’s polite address to fellow Jews that are his age or younger. The word fathers is Paul’s polite address to fellow Jews that are older than him. It includes any Jewish leaders in the crowd.

In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to Paul’s actual brothers and father. If that is true in your language, use whatever terms are natural for addressing people from the same ethnic group, including leaders. For example:

My companions and my fathers
-or-
my brothers and my uncles
-or-
You men and elders who are Israelites as I am
-or-
My fellow Jews (Good News Translation)

See how you translated this phrase in 7:2.

my defense before you: The word defense indicates that Paul would explain who he was and why he had been in the temple area. It was similar to defending himself in court, because the Jews from Asia accused him of wrongdoing. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

what I have to say to you in my defence (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
my words to reply/answer to your accusations
-or-
the words I have to say to explain

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 2021